Page 47 of The Devil's Den

“Well, let’s hope she makes it through the night.” He pushes past me, strolling inside. “She doesn’t look too good.”

My nostrils flare, my jaw pulsing from the clenching of my teeth. There’s something wrong with him, to treat his own daughter this way. It’s fucking sick. But what’s the damn point of telling him that? He’d probably take it as a compliment.

His men stay outside, while he shuts the door, whistling a tune, like nothing happened. Before I head for the stairs, he calls to me.

I turn reluctantly, Aida’s chest falling slowly. Too slow. But at least I know she’s breathing. That she’ll be okay. I hope.

“I should take her from you for taking two of my best men, but I’ll do far worse.” He marches up to me, so damn close I smell the stench of his foul breath. “I’ll make you both suffer worse than you’ve ever suffered before. You thought your first time fucking would be with each other?” He barks out a chuckle. “It’s cute.”

“How the fuck did you…?” But I already know.

His laughter bursts through the room. “You think I was stupid enough to let her see you for years without recording it?”

Aida whimpers, trying to lift her head, but she’s too weak. I know in that moment, she heard what her father said.

“I listened to everything. That was my plan all along. When she begged to see you when you first got here, I had a brilliant fucking idea. Why not let you two get close? So when I take her from you, you’ll crack like a weak, pathetic Cavaleri that you are. And Iwilltake her from you, my boy.” His palm lightly pats my cheek, his mouth twisting in a vicious grin. “And it will hurt.” Then he strolls away. It takes everything in me not to place Aida on the sofa and go after him.

Ms. Greco stares wordlessly at his back until he disappears out of sight, then we climb up the stairs, and I bring Aida to her bed, tucking her in, kissing her forehead.

I check for her pulse and it seems strong. “I love you, Aida. I love you so damn much, it hurts not to.” I swipe a thick piece of her hair away from her mouth. The back of my eyes sting. “Don’t do this to me again. I can’t lose you.”

“Mat-t—” She sighs, but she can’t finish it, her eyelids fluttering.

My knuckles brush down her cheek. “I’m here, beautiful. Don’t talk. Just rest. I’ll be right here. I’ll never leave you. Not if I can help it.” It’s the only real promise I can make her, time after time.

I climb into the bed beside her, and as soon as I’m skin to skin, her head falling to my chest, I drown in the most intense kind of love.

I keep my emotions at bay, not understanding how a boy like me ever deserved a girl like her. But she’s mine and I’ve always been hers, from the moment I saw her when they dragged me down to the basement. I remember her, staring at me with those tawny eyes, worry filling them. She was the first person I wasn’t afraid of at the house. I never imagined she’d be the one to steal every piece of my heart away.

I hold her, a hand curled around her as she sways with every peaceful breath. I realize she’ll never meet my father, nor my brothers. I’ll never have that with her. I wonder if my brothers still think of me.

I try not to dwell on it. If I do, it’ll carve a hole bigger than I can handle. I don’t want to think of my brothers as abandoning me, but fuck, knowing what I know now, could I even blame them? One life versus three. What would I have done, especially being a kid?

The photo of my family I gave Aida is still there under her mattress. It’s the only piece of my family I have to cling to. Agnelo would’ve burned it all if he knew where it was. Lucky for us, he must not have heard it on the recordings.

The door barges open, and in walks one of Agnelo’s men, a pistol in his grip. “Get up,” he demands. “Vacation’s over. You’re going back to the basement.”

I pitch him a glare, kissing the top of her head.

“Boss said I can shoot you both if you don’t act right.” He lifts the weapon at me, his mouth set with a snarl. “And believe me, I want to for what you did to Stan. I should fucking kill you anyway.”

“I love you, Aida. You come see me when you’re better.”

I rise, gently sliding my hand from under her, lifting the blanket higher around her shoulders. At least she’ll have Ms. Greco watching out for her.

Strolling up to this asshole, I near him, his weapon hitting me in the center of my stomach. He’s short, where I’m tall as fuck. “Do it, cocksucker. Whatcha scared of? Daddy?” A mocking laugh rips out of me.

“I should,” he grits. “If I didn’t have kids. I would.”

“I bet I’d kill you before that bullet ever made it inside me.” I back off, striding for the door. “Come on, you can tell Daddy what a good little boy you were, chaining me up.” I wink with a chuckle, enjoying the enraged look on his face.

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

MATTEO

ONE WEEK LATER

I haven’t seenher since I left her in her room. Alone. Scared. It’s like I abandoned her, but I know she doesn’t think that way. At least I hope not.

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